The present invention relates to a permanent berth for ships at a distance from the shore. The invention is particularly but not exclusively concerned with berths for tankers.
Existing harbors are plagued with many problems that have lately arisen with the advent of very large cargo carriers. It has become necessary to devise a new system for anchoring very large tankers at locations which are more or less remote from existing ship traffic in order to reduce the hazards of fires, explosions, rammings, collisions and the necessity of deepening existing harbors or erecting jetties which reach out into deep water. Both these latter expedients are not only very expensive but they ignore most of the hazards mentioned above. Since vey large cargo carriers are so poorly maneuverable they pose a constant threat to other ship traffic. Rammings and collisions with attendant fires and explosions are a frequent testimony to these problems.
Accordingly it is an important object of the invention to provide a berth which can be located in deep water, if necessary, away from heavy maritime traffic and where the serious damage associated with fires can be confined.
Another object of the invention is to provide a berth which holds a tanker virtually immobile while loading and unloading liquid cargo. Achievement of this object allows a wide variety of locations for a port facility to be used which would not otherwise be available.
Other objects include providing a berth in which the roll, pitch and yaw of a berthed ship are neutralized.